ARBITRATION COURT.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVII, Issue 72, 24 March 1916, Page 2

ARBITRATION COURT.

NEW AWARD SOUGH* BY BUTCHERS.

! The-Arbitration Court, under the presidency of bis Honor Mr. Justice Stringer, with Messrs. W. Scott ana J 4. McCullough aegeesore, eat the morning to hear various matters of industrial dispute. FLAXMILLERS AGREE. Mr. W. E. Parry, -who appeared for the Waikato flaxnriJi employees, and Mr. S. E. Wright for the employers, informed the Court that since the Conciliation Council proceedings the employe™ had agreed to concede 1/2 per hour for millers'and sorters, co that a complete agreement existed. The Court ordered an award accordingly. EXEMPTION APPiaCATIONS : f WITHDRAWN. Mr. S. E. who appeared lor the employer* in the ironworkers dispute, withdrew the application for exemption from the irbriworkere' award by_,the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Company, Ltd., Auckland Gae Company; and the Dominion Cement Company. He eipl&ined to the Court that as the hours had been fixed at 47 per week, these firme no longer objected to inclusion. The flnne mentioned were joined accordingly. "t BUTCHERS IN DISPUTE. MORE WAGES AND HOLIDAYS WANTED. In outlining the case for the workers in the butchcre' dispute, Mr. W. Lrll explained to the Court that thirty-nine betchery flnns were concerned in the dispute, 95 shops being affected, of which 27 were owned by Messrs. Hellaby Broe., 85 by the Auckland Meat Company, th« remainder being email butchers. The points in dispute included wagon, casual labour, holidaye, and the preference clause, while the various classes of 'workers included shopmen, ordinary and general (hands, meat carters, ice cartel*, and factory hands. He UTged that whereas the wages paid in Auckland were generally lower than those elsewhere, the nature of the work, conditions, and qualification* necessary on the part of the men were such oe should command higher wages than in other places. The wages aeked for varied from £4 5/ for first shopman where three or more hands ere employed, down to £3 for drivers of one horee. The rates aeked for casual labour were 14/ for ordinary days, and 17/6 for Saturdays, while the wages sought for boys were from 17/6 for boys under 16 years, to £2 for youths between 20 and 21 years of age. Four new holidaye were aeked for, including January 2nd, January 2flth, Boxing Day, and butchers' picnic day. The union also asked the Court to decide that when a non-union-ist member was engaged by an employer owing to the union's inability to supply a capable workman, the union should have the right to supply a man within one week, providing he wae equally competent for the particular work, and that the first man engaged refused to become a member of the union.; David Wilson, the president of the union, stated in evidence that he was employed by Mr. T. Baeter at £2 15/ a week as a general hand, and had been about 27 years in the trade. He was a married man with seven children, and had to use a number of clean coats and aprons every -week. What holidays he had were worked for beforehand. A number of other witnesses were called, the wage* they received averaging between £2 15/ and £3 a week, while most of them stated that they need about four clean coats and five or six aprons a week. THE EMPLOYERS , ARGUMENT. Mr. S. E. Wright, in replying to the demands of the union, declared that the meat trade in Auckland wae not so profitable as many might think, and as the j union would have the Court to believe. 1 The increases in wages demanded would mean a very ecrioue matter, and another argument why a high rate of wages should not be fixed was that as a large proportion of butchers' employees had enlisted and gone to the front "the class of men taken to replace them was lees competent generally than the men who had left. Aβ to the holidays, if the employer had the option of saying when a man should have his fortnight's holiday there would be no serious objection to the holiday, but the holidays wanted by the men fell in many caees at the busiest time of the year. * George Goodwin, managing ( director for Hellaby's, Ltd.. stated that the firm employed from 100 to 120 hands in its various retail whops, the wages running from £2 4/6 to £2 17/6 a week, whereas the awffrd minimum was £2. Since the war started there bad been a difficulty in securing competent men to replace 1 those who had enlisted, while the consumption of meat by the community had shown a considerable decrease. Aβ an instance, in July, 1914, the firm killed 1072 cattle and 3917 sbecp for local consumption, and the supply of ships, while m January last the firm killed only 886 -head of cattle and 3220 cheep. In reply to the argument that January was a summer month, and that less meat wag consumed in ike mimmer, he declared .that! such ,was not the firm's experience, January in especial being a busy month oaring to the large influx of country viaiton?.

Major E. J. Thomas, of the Auckland Hospital, is anxious to "do his bit 1 ' daring the present war and for a fourth time offered his services in the medical branch, for which he should be fitted, having been house manager at the Auckland Hospital for the last four years, which involved charge of purchasing stores, drugs and instruments. In addition Major Thomas has held commissions at Assistant-Paymaster H.M. Navy, Paymaster and Secretary N.S.W. Naval Forces, Reserve of Officers N.S.W. Defence Forces, and Paymaster-Captain Imperial Forces, A.P.I). He was prevented from going to South Africa owing to having Yen at that time Captain in. charge of returned soldiers in Sydney for the Imperial and Colonial Governmenttt- To his fourth offer of service Major Thomas hue received a reply from H. S. F. Henderson, Surgeon-General and, Director-General of Medical Foreea, vbich, while noting- the applicant's honour*bto reoordand excellent testimom&to, regrets that be could not oilier any position in the N.Z.M.C. "likely to suit you." The letter adds: "The Corps w now organised, and all responsible positions filled, and only medical officers and orderlies are now being enlisted for mAWm im A It fttJKOt . . 7 --•-■... ~" ' ' ~zr :